NASHNEWSBRINGING YOU ALL THINGS NASHVILLE: MUSIC, FASHION, LIFESTYLE, AND MORE!

Highlighted as 2018 Artist to Watch by Huffington Post, One Country, NashvilleGab and More

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (January 8, 2018) --Crowned by many as the one to watch in 2018, CMT Next Women of Country artist Kalie Shorr is set to release Awakeon January 26. The highly-anticipated project features seven songs that truly showcase Shorr’s ability, passion and energy she injects into her music. Awakewill be available for pre-sale on iTunes January 15 while the project's first single "Two Hands" continues to be featured on SiriusXM The Highway's "On The Horizon," Radio Disney Country, TuneIn Country Roads and on prominent Apple Music playlists Breaking Country and Cool Country.“Sometimes, this industry makes you second guess yourself,” Shorr explains. “It might not even mean to -- there are just so many opinions and it's easy to try to please everyone. This project is the first time I've tuned everything else out but my own gut feeling on who I am and what makes me unique. This past summer, I bought a new electric guitar, met an amazing producer, and fell back in love with the records that made me want to write songs in the first place. Before I knew it, the Awake EP was born. I couldn't be more excited for it's release, this record feels like the most authentic introduction to me I could give anyone.”

Shorr will host anAwake EP launch party on Thursday, January 25 at The Back Corner. The event will be open to both the media and the public. To view the invitation, click here.

“Thanks to Shorr’s dedication and passion for women empowerment, and the success of Song Suffragettes, more and more women are gaining record deals, publishing deals, radio airplay and the overall attention they deserve.” - TBK Magazine

“...her voice is uniquely hers, further stretching the boundaries Swift shifted in her country days. Shorr represents the genre-bending future…” - One Country

“We promise you, this is one live performer you will not want to miss when she comes to your town in the coming months.” - Nashville Gab

Today we have something so fun to share with you! We are brining you an interview with NashNext competitor Liv! Liv has an amazing voice so we wanted to get to know her as well as hear why she chose her song "That Bronco" as her entry song! Get to know Liv!

NashNews: Tell us about yourself, who are you? How did you get into music? For those who might not know about your music, how would you describe your sound? Liv: I first got into music when I was really young. I had my first ever “solo” singing “Under The Sea” in my kindergarten graduation and ever since then I got hooked on performing. I’m born and raised right outside Boston, MA so growing up I wasn’t raised on country music. Rock and 90s pop was more my jam. I discovered my love of country music in middle school and since then I’ve sort of developed my own country sound.

NN: You are currently competing in the NashNext competition. Tell us about the song you chose, “That Bronco”. Why did you chose this one? What did you hope is shared about you as an artist? Liv: I chose “That Bronco” because out of all the songs off my new EP “Something Wild” it’s the most personal and tells the most about me as an artist. I wrote it 100% (meaning no cowriters) and it’s based off my Bronco I drove in high school (named Bruce!) Country music about trucks isn’t a new concept but I think having it be from a female’s perspective gives the topic a fresh take.

NN: What is the best piece of advice you have been given about the music industry?Liv: You have to have thick skin. This industry has a way of one day making you feel amazing, then the next day doubting absolutely everything about yourself. They don’t call Nashville a “7 year town” for nothing. There are thousands of people trying to accomplish the exact same dream as you every day, so you have to have an undeniable brand and sound as an artist.

NN: You graduated from Belmont with a songwriting major, when you sit down to write what do you do? What are your processes or habits for songwriting? Liv: Most of my songs start with a hook that I came up with completely out of the blue while doing something completely unrelated to music. Lyrics definitely come to me first before melody. Any songwriter will tell you that our “Notes” apps on our phones are FILLED with lyric ideas that we come up with while out and about and can’t get to a guitar or something. My priority when writing is to create something that hasn’t been written before. I know for me, I listen to songs sometimes that I didn’t write and think “wow, that’s insanely creative and well written” and I want my own music to give people that same reaction.

NN: What is one song you wish you would have written? Why? Liv: “Peter Pan” by Kelsea Ballerini, written by Ballerini, Forest Glen Whitehead and Jesse Lee. I first heard it a few years ago before it was released and I thought, “that’s going to be a hit.” I’m a big fan of the writers on the track and lyrically, it’s just so damn well written. It deserves every bit of success it’s gotten.

NN: What is something fans might not know about you? Liv:If you follow me on social media this might not be breaking news, but I’m a huge fan of sports and fitness. If I weren’t in music, I’d be working as a personal trainer or a sports broadcaster. Being from New England, I was surrounded by sports growing up and they’ve become a huge part of my life. Go Pats!

NN: Who would be your dream collaboration? Liv: For country, I’d say Carrie Underwood. She’s the reason I wanted to pursue country music in the first place. I watched her every night on American Idol and voted for her! But in any genre, I’d say Kendrick Lamar. I’d love to sing the hook on one of his songs. He’s so talented and his lyrics are genius.

NN: Anything else you want me to share with my readers? How can they help you? Liv: Just keep supporting country music, especially women in country music. Call into your radio stations and request female songs, there’s not enough being played. And if you like a song you hear on the radio, buy it as opposed to streaming it. Artists and writers make next to nothing off streaming sites. Keep following my journey as an artist on social media and let me know what you want to see/hear next from me! If you have a question/comment, feel free to message me. I keep it very real. I just want to be a country artist that people can relate to and will say, “She’s the type of chick I wanna have a beer with.” I have a lot in store for the future and I’m excited to reveal new things soon. Thanks to everyone who has supported me so far!

Nashville, Tenn. – July 27, 2017 – Tune in to “CMT Hot 20 Countdown” this weekend as the weekly music and entertainment show premieres Sara Evans’ “Marquee Sign” music video. The beautifully haunting clip, shot in a picturesque town square about an hour outside of Nashville, will debut during CMT’s “Hot 20” on Saturday, July 29 at 9:00am ET with a repeat airing Sunday, July 30 at 9:00am ET. The video reunites Evans with longtime director and visionary, Peter Zavadil, who is responsible for previous iconic videos with the multi-platinum artist including “Born To Fly,” which took home the 2001 CMA Music Video of the Year trophy, “A Little Bit Stronger,” and many more!

In addition to the music video, literally clever in concept playing off of the “warning” lyrics of the track, fans will go behind the scenes with exclusive interviews with Evans and the director straight from the set!

“Marquee Sign” is the lead track from Evans’ critically acclaimed new album, Words. “Artistic freedom has never sounded so good,” as declared by the Associated Press, the project released July 21 and quickly hit #1 on the iTunes Country chart within hours.Download Words now at:iTunes: saraevans.co/wordsAmazon: saraevans.co/wordsa

Shot at Finley Studios in Nashville, Lane integrated visual effects with chroma key and laser lighting technology. The high energy video features Lane with a potential love interest, showing him she just might be the right kind of wrong girl.

“Because 'Wrong Girl' is a fun and high energy song, I wanted the video to reflect that sentiment. James and I had so much fun creating this video and I think it perfectly represents my personality and the strong, independent personalities of all 'wrong girls' out there,” said Lane.

So if you’re looking for a red wine sipping kind of nightWell tonight ain’t itAnd oh if you’re trying to find that quiet type get it rightRight now boy you’ve got the wrong girlBoy tonight I think you’ll like the wrong girl(Lane, Toshinskiy, Harding, Schmidt)

“Wrong Girl,” which Lane co-wrote with Ilya Toshinskiy, JT Harding and Jordan Schmidt, is her first release since her self-titled debut EP last year. Forgoing the typical EP release this time around, Lane will be releasing individual tracks directly to her fans throughout 2017. “Wrong Girl” track premiered earlier this week on Whiskey Riff. Fans can see Lane as she joins Brandy Clark July 28 in Las Vegas at Stoney’s Rockin’ Country, and in August when she hits the road with Billy Ray Cyrus for select tour dates.

Nashville, Tenn. – July 18, 2017 – Multi-platinum country star SARA EVANS is gearing up for her highly anticipated new album, Words, out July 21. Check out Entertainment Tonight for an online exclusive behind the scenes look at the making of Words. Tomorrow, USA Today and The Tennessean will offer a first listen to the full album before its release while Taste of Country will roll out an exclusive cover story with Sara and an in-depth look at the inspiration behind Words. For more great stories behind the project, tune into Sirius XM and catch “Y2Kountry Presents A Sara Evans Album Premier!” starting Friday, July 21 at 11am eastern. Visit siriusxm.com/y2kountry for additional airdates and times.

Fans can catch Sara on the road this week with shows July 20 in Tulsa, OKand an album launch date concert on July 21 at Billy Bob’s in Ft. Worth, TX. From there, she will travel to New York City for appearances on July 24 with AOL, Paste, and Facebook where she will be #FBArtistoftheDay. On July 25, tune in to see Sara perform on nationally-syndicated talk show “Live with Kelly and Ryan”! She will wrap the whirlwind week with shows in Ohio (July 28) and Michigan (July 29).

Words, which includes the “sleek” lead single “Marquee Sign,” is available for pre-order now at saraevans.co/words and releases everywhere on July 21 via Sara’s own Born To Fly Records. The 14-song collection features fourteen separate female songwriters, including powerhouses Ashley Monroe, Caitlyn Smith, Hillary Lindsey, Hillary Scott, Liz Hengber, Sonya Isaacs and more. The album marks a creative reunion for Evans, pairing her with frequent co-producer Mark Bright (2005’s Real Fine Place, 2014’s Slow Me Down) while Tracy Gershon and Craig Dunn provide A&R direction.

Today we are so excited to bring you out interview with Dannie Marie! Read on to find out more about this talented artist! We are so excited to have her on NashNews!!

​NN: First start by telling us about yourself! Who are you? How did you get into the music industry? How would you describe your sound?Dannie Marie: I'm Dannie Marie, a pop country artist from Southern California. My music sounds like Kelsea Ballerini meets Florida Georgia Line! I grew up in Alpine, a little mountain town east of San Diego. When I was about six, I heard that McDonald's was giving out Britney Spears and N Sync's C in their Happy Meals. Growing up, my mom never let us eat fast food, but I begged her to take me to McDonald's so I could get a Happy meal. I can still remember walking out of that McDonald's with that bright orange CD that was half Britney songs, and half N Sync songs. I memorized every song and would put on shows for my family singing Britney's "Girl in the Mirror". That CD made me fall in love with music and the idea of being a performer, that's when it all began.

NN: You album “Anything I wanna Be” releases on June 16 (so exciting!), what can readers expect to hear? What is your favorite song on the album and why?Dannie Marie: Ya know, I’ve written a lot of new music since I recorded my debut album “Anything I Wanna Be”, but I feel that this album is so important if you want to know who I am as a person, and who I am as an artist and country music lover. As a songwriter, you constantly change and grow and every new song you write brings out another element of artistry in you, as well as defines you a little differently than the song before. But I need to officially introduce myself to the world, and that’s where this release comes in. I am a big advocate of being real and honest, and that’s what this record is. From a Miranda Lambert-ish song about being cheated on; to a Taylor Swift-esc song about being blind-sided when my boyfriend broke up with me; to a song about having the best summer romance of my life (Florida Georgia Line feels), this album is real, and it’s me. The title track “Anything I Wanna Be” was written about my time in Hollywood -- specifically about a time when I struggled with self hate as I dealt with producers and casting directors who told me I was too fat and not pretty enough to “make it” in the industry. Ultimately during the writing process, I turned this song into an anthem of encouragement, because we all face criticism and it’s so important to rise above and overcome the obstacles that we face, and fight for our dreams. My favorite song is probably track 4, "Fix This Broken Heart." I love the banjo throughout the song as well as the instrumentals.

NN: Between radio tours, and shows what is your favorite memory from the road? Weirdest thing that’s happened on the road?Dannie Marie: One of my favorite memories from the road was on our Flyover States Radio Tour to promote my single "Countin' Down Summertime." We had just landed in Little Rock, AR and we were listening to the radio as we were driving to the hotel about an hour away. A commercial came on saying that Bobby Bones was doing an album signing at a Walmart in a town that we drove through 25 miles back. Well about a year prior, I had worked on the set of CMT’s Outnumber Hunger show, and ended being in a picture that Bobby Bones posted on his Instagram from the shoot. I told my mom (who was driving) that I wanted to go to the Walmart, pull up that picture on his Instagram to remind him, and tell him that I want him to play my music on this show! haha! So I remember she turned the rental car around and we tracked down this Walmart in the middle of nowhere. We changed out of our plane clothes in the Walmart parking lot, and went on in. In the process of waiting in line to see him, we ended up meeting label execs from Black River in the bra section of this Walmart! Ya know for years, we went to seminars and Nashville meetings and open call auditions to meet record execs, and then here we are in the lingerie section of a Walmart in the middle of Arkansas and we meet Kelsea Ballerini’s record label people! I remember talking with them for a while and giving them my CD. Nothing really came of that opportunity (yet), but it was just one of those really cool moments where you just realize that anything can happen at any time, or as Cinderella would say, “One shoe can change your life forever."

L to R: Dannie's brother Nick (guitar player), Dannie Marie, Bobby Bones, producer Eddie, and Dannie Marie's manager in that Walmart on the first day of radio tour!

NN: What is one thing from your personal bucket list and your professional bucket list that you hope to cross off in the next few years?Dannie Marie: I feel like my life is so blessed, I’m just happy to wake up each day knowing I have such an amazing support system and have my health and am able to pursue my dreams in country music. As far as a bucket list item I’d love to check off in the next few years, I honestly just want to be on tour with Florida Georgia Line or Kelsea Ballerini as their opener. I don't even care if I’m the opener for their opener, I would just love the opportunity to support them as well as introduce my music to their fans. I’m such a fan of country artists myself, that I love the idea of getting to open for an artist I look up to every night. That would be a dream come true.

NN: As a songwriter, what process do you take when you go to write a song? What are your writing rituals?Dannie Marie: I have been constantly on the go lately, so most of my writing has been happening while I drive! I am constantly thinking of new lyrics and new hooks, so I just like to turn my voice memo recorder on while I drive, and I start messing around with melodies and lyrics until I have a song! Then I listen back, re-write and of course write it down on paper, and then bring it to the band to bring it to life!

NN: If you could do a collaboration with anyone who would you choose and why?Dannie Marie: This question makes me so excited! I would want to collaborate with Kelsea Ballerini AND Florida Georgia Line. Between Kelsea's personality and writing style, and FGL’s melodies and track dynamics, they would be the ultimate dream team to collaborate with!

NN: What are three songs you are listening to right now?Dannie Marie: The three songs I have on repeat right now are1. “Clint Eastwood” by Jessie James Decker2. “The Way I Talk” by Morgan Wallen3. “Round Here” by Florida Georgia Line.

NN: What are three things you can’t leave for the road without? Favorite road guilty pleasure food? Dannie Marie: Well, if you asked my manager or my guitar player what they can't live without on the road, they would say sweet tea! No joke, half of our time on the road is spent at McDonald's getting sweet tea! For me, it’s my headphones. Being on the road can be very grueling, exhausting and just plain difficult. It comes down to a mental game -- a mental game to stay positive and to keep “the goal” at the front of my mind at all times. I have a playlist that I listen to constantly when we’re on that road to help me keep that positive mindset, and keep me fired up!

NN: Anything else you would like me to share with my readers? How can fans help?Dannie Marie: Thank you so much to every person who took the time to read this. I would LOVE to connect with you on social media. Instagram is my favorite! My handle for Instagram, Facebook and Twitter is @LoveDannieMarie. My YouTube channel is DannieMarieCountry. More importantly, no matter who you are, what setbacks you've had, or who you have in your life telling you you're not good enough and your dreams will never come true --those people are wrong. God has an amazing plan for your life and you can be Anything You Wanna Be.

Dannie Marie, thank you so much for taking the time to answer some questions!

(Nashville, Tenn. – June 27, 2017) – Country singer/songwriter Kaylee Rutland has released her own take on Adele’s hit-track “Rumor Has It.” Adele’s music is infamous for being almost impossible to duplicate, yet Rutland has redesigned the song to highlight her own voice, attributing her Southern roots and traditional flair. With Radio Disney Country having added it to its playlist as well as being available for streaming on Spotify, fans are already reacting with positive feedback to this special release. Rutland shares why she chose to record the track, "I've always loved Adele; her vocals and lyrics; she's incredible! My band and I wanted to try a country rendition of one of her songs, and we performed it at a few live shows. It was well received by the fans, so we thought we would release it on Spotify."Rutland’s popular song “Pick Me Up,” which focuses on breaking through the everyday routine, continues to air on Radio Disney Country (which is also available on KRDC/Los Angeles, the iHeartRadio app, and TuneIn) as well as being available through Spotify, where it’s approaching 100,000 streams. The official music video for “Pick Me Up” is also in rotation on The Country Network as well as other video platforms across the country.Three-time Grammy nominee, Jamie O’Neal, is Rutland’s longtime producer and mentor and produced “Rumor Has It” and “Pick Me Up.” Rutland continues to earn a name for herself; she was included in Country Living Magazine’s “Artist to Watch in 2017” and Billboard Magazine’s “Top 10 Artists to Watch” in 2014, was a finalist in the inaugural Nash Next competition in 2015, due in large part to her feverish social media following, and accompanied Warner Music Nashville’s RaeLynn on tour in 2016.Growing up in Texas, country music made a lasting impact on her personal style, learning from the greats of Reba, Carrie Underwood, and Sara Evans. She was eight, when she first fell in love with singing, performing her first solo for a Christmas musical at her church, and by her teens, she was fully committed to writing her own songs. For more information, visit www.kayleerutland.com and follow her on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

If you follow Lindsay Ell or Bobby Bones you know that this week has been filled with drama surrounding their personal lives! I’m going to go ahead and stick my neck on the line and say that I agree with Lindsay and Bobby, your personal life should not determine how far you get to go in your career! With all this negative buzz and few women being played on country radio Bobby decided that he was going to encourage everyone to support females in country music! So today, pick a female artist, one that you love, or a new one, and download an album you don’t have in order to support them and their careers! Here is a list of some of our favorites if you need a little help!

Today we have a special post for you! We have an interview with Rachel Lipsky! Check it out!

NN: First, start by telling the readers who you are, and how you came into the music industry? What makes you stand out from other women in the business?Rachel: Originally from Denver, Colorado - - from a young age I knew I wanted to be in the music industry, I was always involved in school and church choirs, locking myself in the bathroom to use a hairbrush as a microphone and the mirror as my audience. When I was 16, I got an amazing opportunity through my high school to open for Toto and that's when I first put my band together. I then got the bug and started making trips to Nashville after high school and fell in love with the path to bettering my performance, songwriting and meeting amazing people that were here for the same reason. In May of 2010, I moved to Nashville permanently and started taking workshops, writing with everyone that would say yes and played as much as I could.I'm not afraid to take risks with my music choices and stage presence, I feel like I have a defined edge not only in my music but in the live show - I'm not afraid to get all sweaty and rock out.

​NN: You have a pretty awesome list of people you've opened up for, Thomas Rhett, Lady Antebellum, Keith Urban, Kellie Pickler, and more, what are some things that you have learned from those particular artists?Rachel: My band and I always try to make time to watch the other acts, openers and headliners alike, we always learn how to better our stage presence, verification that the right songs are powerful & we watch how the bigger artists interact with their fans.

NN: You just recently released your single "Dancing' In The Neon". Who wrote it? What was the story behind the song?Rachel: Yes! We just released "Dancing' In the Neon" and I did not write this song, it was an outside cut. Summer Overstreet, Bob Moffatt, and Clint Moffatt wrote the infectious tune. I had a few hundred songs pitched to me for this album and as soon as I heard the verse and chorus of this tune, I shrieked for excitement! I want to record songs that move me and I believe will move my fans as well. Getting to play at every venue, small dive bars and big festivals, my band and I have really gotten to know what moves our fans. To me, this song was a winner, it also breaks the rules about what people might expect from me as an artist but also what they might expect to be considered country. The musicians we had on the recording session were ridiculously talented. Russ Pahl is an absolute genius, he was on his pedal steel and started doing muted double stops and it was absolutely PERFECT -- it sounds like a computerized loop but it wasn't.

NN: As a songwriter, what is one song you wish you would have written and why?Rachel: Hmmm, as a songwriter, so many songs come to mind about ones I wish I had written, but "Midnight in Montgomery" has always been one of my all time favorites it stops me in my tracks and gets me every time.

NN: What are your processes/habits for songwriting?Rachel: As far as writing songs I try to write 3 times a week, I try to make sure we really spend the time and work on a song to make sure it is the best we can -- after all, we're only 3 minutes away every day. Sometimes it takes an hour and a half to write a tune and sometimes it takes months, but either way, I want to write songs that are great.

NN: What is one thing on your personal and professional bucket list?Rachel: One major item on my bucket list is to sing the National Anthem for the Denver Broncos at tMile High Stadium. I have always been a huge Broncos fan and that would be an epic honor to be able to sing before a game. Plus, John Elway was my first crush ever and it would be amazing to shake his hand.

NN: If you could do a CMT Crossroads with any artists who would it be and why?Rachel: If I could do a CMT Crossroads with anyone it would hopefully be with Tina Turner or Blondie, both were always blasting in our house when I was growing up and both ladies were a BIG influence to me as an artist.

NN: What are 3 songs you are listening to right now?Rachel: Three songs I'm listening to right now:1. "Believer" Imagine Dragons2. "Slow Burn" Tim Hicks3. " Making Me Look Good Again" Drake WhiteI am a HUGE fan of these amazing artists because they make killer music.

NN: Anything else you want me to share with my readers? What can fans do to help? Rachel: I recently won the Nashville Hard Rising Competition and I am so blessed to have such amazing fans that helped us get to where we are. If your readers could follow me on Spotify and subscribe to my YouTube channel I would greatly appreciate it, we are picking winers in the next 4 weeks for a chance to win a signed cd.

​Nashville, Tenn. – June 9, 2017 – Country Music star and entrepreneur SARA EVANS is lighting up country radio with her new single — “Marquee Sign.” With lyrics and haunting vocals that allude to the warning signs of love gone wrong, Sara Evans’ “Marquee Sign” is available now at saraevans.co/marqueesign.

If you woulda been lit up like a marquee signCoulda saved myself some wasted timeFrom the minute I found you…

Written by Sara with Jimmy Robbins and Heather Morgan, “Marquee Sign” is the first single from Evans’ upcoming album Words, due July 21 on her own Born To Fly Records. The multi-platinum entertainer enlists her daughter, Olivia Evans, to add her own unique vocal style to the song.

“Having Olivia sing on ‘Marquee Sign’ is such a special moment for me, not only as a mom but also as a fan,” said Sara. “I was so impressed when she went in the vocal booth and started singing these really cool parts and ad-libs at the end of the song! My fans have watched her grow up on the road with me and I can’t wait for them to hear her on this song.”

Limited-edition Words fan packages are available for pre-order at saraevans.co/SEStore. Pricing starts at $11.99 and include a variety of bundles ranging from a signed CD or vinyl version of Words, a Sara Evans t-shirt, journal, mug or acoustic guitar.

Additional details about Sara’s new album Words will be revealed in the coming weeks. Fans can catch up with Sara on the road with dates booked throughout the year. For more details, check out saraevans.com.